Food and flavours collide with the film world and a fictional favourite as a University of Warwick professor explores the most famous creations of chocolate idol Willy Wonka ahead of its reimagined release premiering in December 2023.
From convenience to hydration and satiation, consumer preferences for beverages offer manufacturers an opportunity to hone in on value, attributes and nutrition with taste and simple ingredients as a common driver, according to Hartman Group’s Modern...
Israeli start-up MAMAY Technologies has developed an AI-powered algorithm capable of determining the ‘objective’ sweetness of a food or beverage product.
Using 3D-printed food, researchers have found it's possible to change the way we taste by the way food is structured. 3D-printing a structure of chocolate and cream cheese, they found that the order the two foods were printed in, which determined...
In findings that could further our understanding of the development of human taste and smell receptors, and help address the problem of ‘food-fussiness’ when weaning, researchers took 4D ultrasound scans of 100 pregnant women to see how their unborn babies...
Knives and forks that send an electrical current to the tongue can enhance the saltiness and possibly the savouriness of low-sodium foods, scientists claim, and may help millions stick to a low-sodium diet without sacrificing taste.
Flavours are not currently defined by their most important functionality: taste. We speak to flavour tech innovator iSense about how it is using sensory data and digitalisation to develop a marketplace approach that delivers transparency to boost agility...
Environmental concerns don’t motivate consumers to replace meat products with plant-based alternatives, new research suggests. So, what does prompt people to make the swap? And how can the food industry tap into this to support growth in the plant-based...
The recipe kit provider has introduced free limited-edition ‘Flavour Saviour’ kits in partnership with the charity AbScent to help consumers ‘retrain their senses and rediscover the joy of mealtimes’.
Developed European markets aren't always known for their exciting growth profiles. But Kerry Group European head Thomas Hahlin Ahlinder sees some important opportunities for the ingredient supplier in the region. FoodNavigator hears more.
Almost a year since the start of the pandemic in Europe, many of those infected who reported losing their sense of smell and consequently taste -- even without displaying other symptoms -- still haven’t recovered these senses. What implications could...
Ethnicity may play a role in how sensitive a person is to the bitter taste found in foods such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and dark chocolate, as two studies demonstrate that Danish and Chinese people experience this taste differently owing to a difference...
Kerry has launched its new, expanded range of organic-certified extracts and flavorings in compliance with the upcoming European Union regulations for organic flavor labeling.
Scientists at the Université de Montréal have unearthed a new method of testing maple syrup which they say could be a potential supplementary tool to more accurately categorise other food and beverages.
Fresh research out of Denmark reveals that drinking coffee changes our sense of taste, making sweet foods even sweeter. Could these findings help inform sugar reformulation strategies?
Fresh research probes the relationship between the surface texture of food – which will influence its visual appearance – and expectations of how healthy that product is.
Ethnic flavour profiles from Africa and the Caribbean, eastern flavours and citrus varieties will attract increased interest in food and beverage R&D this year, predicts ingredients supplier and consumer foods business Kerry Group.
It is well documented that certain things affect how we perceive flavour: from smell to visual appearance. But what about some of the less obvious factors, like the room in which you are eating or your expectations around price?
New French research shows that ‘nutrient signalling’, or the ability to taste the presence of a given nutrient in foods, becomes less efficient and less reliable as foods become more complex and different tastes compete for attention, potentially confusing...
FlavorWiki’s patent-pending digital technology measures taste perception and consumer flavour preferences at scale, promising to fine-tune the new product development (NPD) process at a tenth of the price of traditional sensory panels.
A liking for fatty foods is linked to obesity. But when these foods are also sweet, salty or both, to what extent is the fat content driving our taste preferences?
Repeated exposure makes children more willing to eat some unfamiliar vegetables – although other strategies may be needed for bland-tasting vegetables, according to a recent study.
Aromyx has developed a biosensor that places the human taste and olfactory receptors into a bio-chip, digitising taste and smell for empirical and tailored reformulation.
Cooling sensations give an energy to food and are gaining traction beyond traditional mint flavours, says Firmenich as it secures exclusive licencing rights to Senomyx’s Coolmyx cooling ingredient.
Scientists have developed a way of 'teleporting' lemonade by digitally sending the flavour and colour from one internet user to another - and the technology could be used to tackle the double burden of over and under nutrition, they say.
The quest to produce nutritionally enhanced food despite the industry’s cost-cutting culture is one of the biggest challenges the food industry is currently facing, according to Mondelez’s Gil Horsky.
‘Floating food’ that delivers more intense sweet, bitter and umami flavours via ultrasound could be the start of a culinary trend that sends combinations of food items directly to consumers’ taste buds.
A series of trials to reduce the sodium content of plant-based, vegan and vegetarian meat alternatives has been completed successfully by Salt of the Earth.
A multi-million Euro initiative backed by the German government has hailed the ‘good news’ of being close to market for a number of natural flavour masking ingredients for food and nutrition applications.
An unwillingness to eat foods like insects may have more to do with food appropriateness than its actual taste as findings could have implications for consumer acceptance of other protein sources.
Virtual reality has arrived and is set to change the way the food industry engages with consumers and even the way consumers taste food by creating multisensory experiences, according to one digital marketing expert.
Flavour often comes first when we think of new product development (NPD), yet texture is just as important in influencing our eating experience – and it can even change the food's flavour, perceived naturalness and how filling it is.
Research that digitises the taste sensation to create ‘virtual flavour and texture,’ may prove to be of benefit to those on specialised diets or looking to reduce the amount of consumed sugar or salt.
Research into how food viscosity and hardness are determined may provide the food industry with insights into how to enhance the texture of foods, adding to their appeal and satiety.
Nestlé has renewed its collaboration with US-based life sciences firm Chromocell to cut salt levels in its global portfolio, after investing nearly €12 million in 2012.
Sensory profiling and product testing can be complicated, but Norwegian researchers have developed methods that are simpler, faster and cheaper, allowing smaller companies to carry out their own new product development, they say.
Increasingly adventurous consumers may say that they want a wide selection of flavors from which to select, but if manufacturers provide too many options they may actually deter shoppers, warns the CEO of a leading market analytics firm.
Increasing consumer interest in bitter flavors could help manufacturers regain momentum on sodium reduction initiatives, many of which are stalled due to the common perception that less salt equals less flavor, suggests market research from Mintel.
Research demonstrating that fatty acids have a taste sensation that is distinct from other basic tastes ‘confirms’ that fat is the sixth basic taste, say researchers.
The scale of innovation in the beverage industry, coupled with consumers’ constant appetite for something new, is boosting the evolution of flavours, according to Treatt.
Taste is much more complex than the experience of basic flavours on the tongue – it also encompasses our other senses to a larger degree than most people realise, according to Professor Charles Spence.
Technology and digital media influence the taste, appearance and experience of food more than ever before, says Mandy Saven, head of food, beverage and hospitality at innovation and trends consultancy Stylus.
